Bachmann, you may recall, drew headlines last year after she kept her hand on Bush’s shoulder for a record 30 seconds and then reached in for a smooch.

And two years ago, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) also became a target of late-night punch lines when he and Bush had a similar lovey-dovey moment.

“On the way in, I always like to wish the president luck, or I say, ‘Go get ’em,’” Capito said. “On the way out, it’s always, ‘Great speech.’”

“Being there, in that place, on that night,” Ros-Lehtinen echoed, “it’s just thrilling.”

The day of waiting, however, is not, the congresswomen said. Ros-Lehtinen always brings a “mountain of paperwork” to the chamber to kill time.

She spends the remaining hours chatting up members across the aisle and talking on the phone, which is allowed because the House is not in session. “It’s time well used,” she said, adding that other members do crossword puzzles or read the newspaper. “And it’s great for networking.”

Capito spends the time getting a jump on the week’s work, reading legislation and signing paperwork.

If Capito has to walk away, she always leaves the stack of paperwork on her seat, a signal to her colleagues that someone has already reserved that spot — or if she has to go far or use the facilities, she has Ros-Lehtinen hold her place for her.

“She watches my back and I watch hers,” Ros-Lehtinen confirmed.

But being on the aisle only goes so far. One must stand out in a room of black, steel gray and navy blue, the lawmakers said.

Despite her best efforts, Ros-Lehtinen couldn’t secure a seat soon enough. She and Capito had to settle for spots three and four seats away from the aisle.

“I’m not too disappointed,” Ros-Lehtinen said Monday evening. “I’ll still reach over and talk to the president about the [Florida] primary tomorrow.”